change
The Comfort of Inertia
When I mention inertia, here’s one of the first things that comes to mind.
“An object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by a net force.”
Generally applied to physics, but so true in other areas. It’s so easy to keep doing what we’ve been doing, and keep not doing what we haven’t been doing.
As a teacher, it’s easy to teach as I’ve always taught. As a writer, it’d be easy to write the way I’ve always written. I’ve done it before, so I know I can do it. Continuing to do it is no problem at all.
Inertia is so darn comfortable.
You know what isn’t comfortable? Growth.
Growth hurts. Growth feels awkward. Growth is trying to put on clothes that were designed for a body type very different from mine.
But if we push ourselves through that discomfort, we stretch. Our shape changes. We mold into something new.
And just as that new place starts to feel comfortable, we find the next new thing we need to put on.
(Now I have this vision of people made of clay. Just roll with it.)
I have new things to try this year as a teacher. I have areas to improve in with my writing. It’s uncomfortable and awkward.
It’s also necessary.
If I let inertia carry me, what’s the point of having a brain at all?
Where do you find yourself getting caught in inertia? How do you push yourself out of those ruts?